WORLD AFFAIRS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 91, 17 March 1936, Page 2

WORLD AFFAIRS

NATION’S. AIMS DISCUSSED. ADDRESS.TO ROTARY CLUB. In an address to the weekly gathering of the Palmerston North Rotary Club, yesterday, Mr W. N. Pharazyn, of Wellington, discussed tlie present international situation, ' inviting his audience to survey the wants of Germany, Italy, and Japan—natural resources and land for population expansion. The speaker made a contrast with the countries which did not want war, Britain, France, and Russia. The problem was, he said, one of “those who had not” and “those who had.” ’[’lie chair was occupied bv the president of the club (Mr W. E. Winks). The situation to-day was obviously a threat of war, said Mr Pharazyn. In 1911 also there had been an acute threat of war, over Morocco, hut hostilities did not break out because Franco and England spoke firmly against Germany. As a result the war was delayed for three years. When he had been a boy at school he had seen the German menace pending and had gone to a military college to fit himself accordingly, said Mr Pharazyn. He had been there when the Great War had broken out, and had gone through the war. However, when ho had been concerned with the taking over of Turkish materials in 1920 lie had seen that guns and ammunition had been made by a British firm of armament manufacturers. That had made him think and he had done so as on that fact ever since. After that “war to end war” there had been formed the League- of Nations. It might have been realised that its aims would not work, because there were, and are now, countries with sufficient territory and resources and others which are ip the opposite position. Incidentally, three of those countries, Italy, Germany,, and Japan, were populated by very virile nations. Further, it had to be remembered that of the victor nations, Italy had fared the worst in the wild scramble at the end of the war. True, she had been given a large slice of Asia Minor, hut the only trouble was, excellent though the country was, the Turks living living there would not let the Italians have it. So it was that Italy and Germany had not been given room to expand. After the war every country had tried to protect its own markets and attempted to keep out other countries’ goods, the speaker proceeded. Britain had been the last to enter on that undertaking, but in Italy, Germany, and France; it had progressed to what appeared to be lunacy. It had led to a state of tension and ultimately must produce war. The rearming of Germany bad been done largely by means of British finance, through the German central banking organisation. It could not he stopped now because to do so would have precipitated a financial crisis. The first outbreak under- the situation which had been developing was that of Japan’s taking part of Manchuria. That was very far away and not of much moment to British inter-j ests. Italy’s excursion into Abyssinia was another matter. It had been stated by Professor Varga, and had been confirmed by others, that the Abyssinian plateau was another Gibraltar. From it, with a large army and a large air force, Italy could control the Red Sea, and the Sudan, and make the Cape to Cairo route impossible. Further, Italy could then prevent the building of a barrage at Lake Tsana to control the waters of the Nile. Italy’s motive appeared to he an attempt at gaining world power. Italian finances were in about as desperate a position as they could he and Mussolini appeared to be staking liis all oil the bid for control. r I lie British Empire could emerge victorious in a long combat with Italy, hut the initial stages might be in favour of Italy. Referring to an article relating to Italy’s sea strength in ’planes and very fast speed-boats carrying torpedoes, he said because of that strength the Italians had made it appear that the balance of power m the Mediterranean uid not by any means lie with Great Britain.. Again, the trouble in Abyssinia had undoubtedly strengthened the foreign situation of Germany. The speaker did not think that anybody would take it as an act of aggression that Germany had occupied some of her own country, even though it was laid down as an act of war in the Locarno Treaty. He did not believe that France and England would act upon that violation of the treaty. The League of Nations, “a collective security,” was only an alliance between those countries which had all they wanted, and Britain, France, and Russia were joining together. In theory the position could be rectified by the handing over of lands and resources, but any suggestions to that end were immediately opposed. In all human prnbab-'lity* any action like that would not take' place. Collective security would not avert war, although it might postpone it, because it did not reach down to the basic reasons of national discontent. Last August it had bee v obvious that Italy would land troop

in Abyssinia, and it was also obvious that only minor sanctions could be applied. 'Now the developments in Germany had destroyed possibilities oi any further sanctions against Italy. jf the nations opposing Germany lined up together they might put off the war which was impending, proceeded Mr Pharazyn. There was an underground opposition to the German Government’s plans and domination, and the same could be said of Italy and Japan. We had to consider whether wars had to go on and with that had to inspect our present structure of international society. If all the nations thought “My country right or wrong,” then the future was dark, with the prospect of war after war. It might even be that the wars would wipe out up to 70 per cent, of the world’s population and resources and take mankind hack again to a state of 500 years ago. Then civilisation would have to start all over again. The issue had to be faced by all who ’bought upon the subject. Although be bad been a soldier, and had gone lirough the Great War. he had made up liis mind, said Mr Pharazyn. He hoped that those to whom he spoke vould form n definite view too. The thanks of the assembly were conveyed to the speaker by Mr J. A. "1 rant. Visitors welcomed were Messrs M. 'I. Oram. J. A. Colquhoun, and S. I. Bennett.